Youth-Focused Programs And Peace-Building: A Policy Framework For Sustainable Employment And Security In Kenya

Unemployment among the youth has been an issue of serious concern on peace and security in Kenya and thus there is need to explore available programs and international best practice. This article examines the success of existing youth-oriented programs in Kenya and compares them with other jurisdictions. The comparison with the other jurisdiction then offers a policy framework on how Kenya can engage youth sustainably. By analyzing programs like the National Youth Service (NYS) in Kenya and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nigeria, as well as innovative projects such as agricultural programs and blue economy projects, this paper finds gaps in the existing policy frameworks. The study reveals that despite the existence of individual program, Kenya does not have a coordinated government policy that will help in effective school to employment transitions. The results indicate that a multi-sectoral model that takes into consideration the extended education, development of skills, agricultural modernization and formal working opportunities can greatly increase the involvement of youth thus decreasing the level of threats to security. This framework deals with expected issues about economic reasons that would either support or not support the economic feasibility. The support or non-support uses arguments of cost-of-inaction and multifaceted resource mobilization. Moreover, the suggested model includes certain protection against political capture with the help of multi-stakeholder forms of governance and evidence-based monitoring systems.